Of all the national security challenges that the United States faces, one is clearly dominant. Unquestionably, one of the top national security challenges that face all nations is world commerce: how goods flow from point of origin to destination and who controls these transit arteries. With 80% of world trade carried by sea, equating over 70% of the world trade value handle by ports, it is important to understand where China is in comparison to the United States. Over the past years, the United States has had unchallenged access to the global maritime commons that supported its economic growth. Mahan’s six elements of sea power, economic strength of a country is central to his thinking. These element focuses on a country’s geographical …show more content…
This compares to the United State’s 46.5 million, TEU. Reviewing the top five container ports based on TEU; within China they are, Shanghai 36.5 million, Shenzhen 24.1 million, Ningbo 20.6 million, Qingdao 17.3 million, followed by Guangzhou 17.1 million. In contrast, the top five ports in the United States are, Los Angeles 8.2 million, Long Beach 7.2 million, New York / New Jersey 6.4 million, Savannah 3.7 million and Seattle 3.5 million. Therefore, the imbalance shows that China has set itself up for dominance of this element of Mahan’s sea power.
In referring to Mahan’s elements of extent of territory and number of population, China’s population is the largest in the world with 1.39 billion, compared with the United State’s population of 323 million. In 2016, China’s merchant marine was the third largest in the world controlling 8.87% of the world’s shipping, compared to the United States with the eighth largest controlling only 3.36%. With China’s immense population and the size of their merchant marine fleet, it would be only natural to see that China commands these two elements.
Next, look at the national character for both China and the United States; they both have a full understanding of the markets and the colonial system of the world. During the 2016 calendar year, China’s economy produce $21.27
China was the most powerful maritime force for almost three decades during the 14th century. The world recognized the Chinese for their fine artisan skills, which included creating stunning porcelains and silks. They also had great marine navigation skills, vast knowledge in astronomy and advanced firepower technology. Before the Ming Dynasty, the Yi citizens of China involuntarily stopped working on the land, hence had to seek for alternatives in the sea for survival. A century before Columbus plus his allied Europeans started their entry into the Modern World, seven voyages of massive castoffs commanded by the eunuch Zheng He ventured through the China Seas to East Africa, throughout Korea and Japan. This occurred between 1405 and 1433, during the reign of Zhu Di. Using their skills, they conquered the forces around the Indian Ocean, making China the naval ruler. In the book When China Ruled the Seas, Louise Levathes explores the historic timeline of China’s dynamic transformation until her rise and dominance as a marine power. Discussed below is China’s overall
In 2008, the Global Financial Crisis broke out; both the American economy and the economy in the West suffered a hard blow. However, a big economy system in the East emerged unexpectedly. China is now able to challenge the America’s decades-long dominant position in economic area. Started during the middle of 1990s, China’s manufacturing industry developed rapidly that billions of exports were floating out, and China was given the title of “the world’s factory”(BBC). By the end of 2010, China with a GDP of $5.8 trillion, surpassed Japan’s GDP of $5.48 trillion, became the world’s second largest economy system (BBC). China also exceeded Japan became America’s largest foreign securities holder. Since then, China has been seen as the US’s
From January until October in 2010 imports from China to the United States this year were $299,026.0 million and only $72,276.2 million in exports to China, leaving a U.S. trade deficit of -226,749.8 million - this is according to the U.S Census Bureau U.S Foreign Trade Statistics. Here we can examine that Chinese
The reason that we are reading, “When China Ruled the Seas” by Louise Levathes is in order to help us create a better understanding of the Chinese rule and how they became such a great dynasty. It helps us to see how China rose to become a great maritime power and also how it its navy disintegrated. “When China Ruled the Seas” shows us why the Chinese emperors decided to destroy its navy. It helps us learn more about China’s voyages of exploration, including how long they lasted, the reason for them, how far they extended and the impact they had on China itself and
In 2014, China’s GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) was $17.62 trillion. However, China’s per capita income is below the world average. China’s GDP per capita stood as $12,900. According to Magnier (2014), “The country’s gross domestic product last year totaled
The rise in China from a poor, stagnant country to a major economic power within a time span of twenty-eight years is often described by analysts as one of the greatest success stories in these present times. With China receiving an increase in the amount of trade business from many countries around the world, they may soon be a major competitor to surpass the U.S. China became the second largest economy, last year, overtaking Japan which had held that position since 1968 (Gallup). China could become the world’s largest economy in decades.
Alfred T. Mahan and the influence of sea power on U.S. expansion in the Pacific
When it comes to the political profile, seven different countries have competing maritime claims (mostly over the Spratly and Paracel Islands), some of which become even more complicated as some overlap with other nations’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). Despite the “intraregional distrust, deeply rooted historical issues, and rapidly increasing military spending” in the region surrounding the South China Sea, one expert argues that “not only has the conflict not escalated into a serious military conflict; it has, in fact, been mitigated… in fact, a more stable peace has developed.” (Costlow, 2012, p.6).
The United States’ status as the dominant power in Asia may become contested as China modernizes its military. America’s main source of power in the region comes from its air and naval forces, and if it cannot capitalize on freedom of movement, it will lose its strategic advantage. This paper postulates that if China continues to develop its anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) forces that directly counter the United States naval and air forces, there may be future threats to American primacy in Asia. China’s response to the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis and its understanding of necessary strategic deterrence against external United States aggression has pushed it to improve its military capabilities. This essay is divided into four sections, with
The Chinese became mongols in trade so much so that their foreign trade became a state monopoly. Although they were successful in trade and known for being so powerful these voyages had consequences. China ended up with a large expense for going into the Indian ocean. Their expenses came from having about 28,000 soldiers to tend to and feed in order their ships be manned. Even though China monopolized trading by having ports in various areas,
This article summarizes the Chinese navy ocean expeditions and experiences including their great advantages against the other countries such South Asia, Africa, India, and Europe. First and foremost it began with the Ming Dynasty emperor who leads this belief of china’s culture should be expanded also because its strong dominant power should be recognized in all areas of military, technology, and economically. The Chinese consider themselves to be admired, respected and honor for their accomplishments in other words they believe besides the north the other countries are no competition threat to them as a result in their sauces they created the tributary system which is the other countries can rely on china but only if they contributed to the
As of today, China has expanded and built over seven artificial islands in the South China Sea since 2014. The South China Sea has recently come to be a major problem in Asia as issues have risen over who has rights of passage and claims in this area. The Chinese of recent have been making territorial claims in the South China Sea that are in areas of free passage for many other Asian countries and the United States. In October 2015, a U.S. guided missile destroyer encountered one of the artificial islands and China’s response was that it would “take any measure” to maintain its security in “their territory”. The Chinese have been questioned in the Permanent Court of Arbitration by the Philippines after claiming rights to historical locations in the South China Sea, which violates sovereign rights of the Philippines, yet China responded to this outcome with refusal and has continued to advance itself in the territory causing huge disputes with its neighboring countries as freedom of navigation has been compromised through China’s actions.. In order to guarantee resolution and maintain the freedom of navigation aspect of international law there needs to be a foreign policy put in place that puts more United States military in the South China Sea with support from disputing countries like Japan and the Philippines as a way to make the issue multilateral and law abiding.
The dispute over the South China Sea denotes the process of power rebalancing while China rising as a hegemony in East Asia. China craves for more resources and power and decides to effectuate that by controlling more maritime territory. This act impelled the United State to align with the Philippines to balance with China. In a realism world, U.S. has adequate reason to intervene for fear for China becoming too strong a power.
In the Western Pacific, the South China Sea is a global crossroads that holds strategic importance for many nations world wide. The South China Sea stretches from the Taiwan and Luzon Straits in the north to Indonesia and the Strait of Malacca in the south with Vietnam on the west and the Philippines and Borneo on the east. In total size, the South China Sea surpasses the Mediterranean Sea. However, unlike this Near-Eastern comparator, territorial disputes and conflicting claims threaten the movement of global trade through the South China Sea, thus unbalancing regional stability in the Asia-Pacific. Claimants include the bordering coastal countries of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Republic of China (a.k.a. Taiwan), the
Following the cessation of the Cold War, a massive territorial dispute erupted over two island chains in the South China Sea (SCS), the Paracels and the Spratleys. Those nations disputing their rightful ownership include China, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, and Taiwan. The source of the conflict in this area stems from the geographical location and the natural resources to be gained through their ownership. According to the World Bank, the sea contains approximately 900 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and seven billion barrels of oil. That roughly equates to the amount of energy needed to power the entire world for an entire year. Furthermore, the sea is a center for fishing and provides most of the surrounding countries with the vast majority of their total fish supply. Finally, the SCS is a major trade route, especially for petroleum products and crude oil shipments; control of the region could easily mean absolute monopoly over shipments passing through it.